The league will embark on its 102nd season. Here’s how all 32 teams stack up as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers look to repeat as Super Bowl champions.
For the first time in league annals, there will be 272 regular-season contests. But for the first time since 1993, the NFL will have an 18-week regular season.
The 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers became the sixth team to take the wild card route to an NFL championship. Now the club hopes to repeat as Super Bowl champions, something quarterback Tom Brady knows something about.
With the 2021 campaign on the horizon, here’s a look at the current NFL Power Rankings.
You literally need a scorecard to figure out all the numerous comings and goings when it comes to this franchise this year. Keep in mind that entering 2020, this was a solid Texans’ team that had won the AFC South four of the previous five years.
A year ago, quarterback Deshaun Watson led the NFL in passing yardage. But it’s hard to predict when we will see the talent performer in 2021. New head coach David Culley has his work cut out for him.
In 2017, the Birds finished 13-3 and won Super Bowl LII. Now the club has a new head coach in Nick Sirianni and numerous other changes – particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Jalen Hurts will open the season behind center but the Eagles signed veteran Joe Flacco this offseason and recently dealt for Jacksonville’s Gardner Minshew.
Last year, the offensive line was riddled with injuries and this talented must stay healthy this season.
College legend Urban Meyer tries his hand at the NFL and inherits a team that won its first game in 2020 and enter this season on a 15-game losing streak.
The Jaguars used the first-overall pick in April on Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence but former college teammate Travis Etienne, another first-round selection, has been lost of the season. Jacksonville’s defense was well below average a year ago and could be in for another troubling season.
Dan Campbell is the new head coach and inherits a team that is in the midst of several long droughts. But the real bad news is the fact that the club has finished last in the NFC North three straight years and over that span owns a combined 3-15 win loss record within the division.
Matthew Stafford is now a member of the Rams and Jared Goff is Detroit’s new quarterback. A year ago, the Lions allowed the second-most points in a season (519) in NFL history.
There is a new head coach in former Titans’ offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. Perhaps more significantly, the team was able to coax defensive mind Dean Pees out of retirement. He hopes to help a unit that gave up the most passing yards in the league last year as well as 34 scores through the air.
Matt Ryan continues to pile up the yards but Smith must provide him with some balance. Can Pees find the consistent pass rush that has eluded the club?
It’s a team that has a new head coach (Robert Saleh) and a rookie starting quarterback (Zach Wilson). It’s also a franchise that hasn’t been to the postseason since 2010 – the longest-active playoff drought in the league.
A year ago, it took the Jets 14 tries to win a football game. This year, the club used a first-round pick on a quarterback (BYU’s Zach Wilson) for the second time in four years. Unfortunately, it’s been a rough offseason for the club.
A year ago, the Bengals made LSU quarterback Joe Burrow the first overall pick in the draft and he showed well before going down with a knee injury. He’s back and if he can stay healthy, this could be an intriguing offense.
Head coach Zac Taylor had this team playing respectable football at times but in two seasons at the helm the Bengals are a combined 2-10 vs. their AFC North neighbors. Cincinnati’s defense still has some work to do.
The team has finished 5-11 two consecutive years. A year after inking Teddy Bridgewater to a lucrative contract, the Panthers opted to trade for Sam Darnold – the third overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. He has some weapons to work with, especially if running back Christian McCaffrey can stay healthy this year.
There are wideouts D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson. But does Matt Rhule have a defensive unit that scares opponents?
First-time NFL head coach Joe judge led Big Blue to a 6-5 record in its final 11 games after an 0-5 start this past season. Still, the Giants finished 6-10 – a fourth straight losing campaign for a franchise that last reached the playoffs in 2016.
Quarterback Daniel Jones made some progress in terms of holding onto the football as last season unfolded. A secondary featuring James Bradberry, Jabrill Peppers and Logan Ryan may be the league’s best.
The franchise has suffered through four consecutive losing seasons and Teddy Bridgewater will be the team’s 11th different starting quarterback since 2016.
The good news is that outside linebacker Von Miller is back after missing all of 2020. And Vic Fangio’s club is certainly not short on talent. But this club was a mere 1-5 vs. its division rivals a year ago. And since opening the ‘16 season with a 4-0 mark, the Broncos own a disturbing 28-48 win-loss record.
Dak Prescott is back and will get the start in the Week 1 prime time clash with the defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers at Tampa. But will the Dallas defense, one of the worst units in the league a year ago, make some strides sooner than later?
First-round draft pick Micah Parsons definitely bears watching. The new defensive coordinator is former Falcons’ head coach Dan Quinn. Parsons was one of eight defensive draft picks this spring.
Head coach Matt Nagy will start Andy Dalton in the Week 1 primetime clash with the Rams in Los Angeles. But just how long will the Bears wait to unveil 2021 first-round pick Justin Fields?
General manager Ryan Pace gave up a lot to move up and take the former Ohio State Buckeye. But Chicago’s biggest concern this offseason has been the offensive line. Can new defensive coordinator Sean Desai make Khalil Mack and company fearsome once again?
It’s a franchise that has made just one postseason appearance (2016) since ‘03 and hasn’t won a playoff contest since the 2002 AFC title game.
The Silver and Black has gotten off to decent starts the last two seasons but a troubled defense wilted down the stretch each time. The franchise did a lot of work this offseason tweaking its offensive and defensive lines. And quarterback Derek Carr continues to be an underappreciated performer.
Mike Zimmer’s club had few problems putting points on the board last season. But inexplicably, the Vikings collapsed badly on the defensive side of the ball. Some of that had to do with the season-long absence of end Danielle Hunter as the club saw its sack total drop from 48 in 2019 to 23 QB traps a year ago.
Kirk Cousins still has his occasional issues with ball security but don’t be surprised if this club bounces back in a very big way.
Including the playoff loss to the Bucs, head coach Ron Rivera utilized four different starting quarterbacks a season ago. Now it’s ageless Ryan Fitzpatrick behind center for the defending NFC East champions.
There are capable weapons in running back Antonio Gibson, wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel and tight end Logan Thomas. Led by 2020 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Chase Young, Washington’s defense is simply frightening.
For the first time since 2005, the Saints’ roster will not include prolific passer Drew Brees. Enter one-time NFC South rival Jameis Winston, who sat a year ago for the most part and learned Sean Payton’s offense.
Running back Alvin Kamara leads a deep backfield but the team will have to wait until at least late October to see former All-Pro receiver Michael Thomas. New Orleans’ defense ranked high in 2020 but Dennis Allen’s unit was very inconsistent.
From a 13-3 campaign and appearance in Super Bowl LIV to a 6-10 showing and last-place finish in the NFC West. Perhaps no team in the league was hit harder by injuries to its standout players than the Niners in 2020.
Jimmy Garoppolo has struggled to stay healthy and the team moved up in the draft to select intriguing prospect Trey Lance. Nick Bosa missed most of last season but he’s ready to go. How will the defense fare without Robert Saleh?
The new man at the helm is Brandon Staley, who last season was calling the shots for a Los Angeles Rams’ defensive unit that allowed the fewest total yards in the league. The first-time NFL head coach has talented youngster Justin Herbert behind center.
The Chargers’ offseason priority was upgrading a substandard offensive line and the key additions were former Packers’ center Corey Linsley and first-round tackle Rashawn Slater.
The team in the desert added some big name talent this offseason in the form of defensive end J.J. Watt, wide receiver A.J. Green, kicker Matt Prater and center Rodney Hudson – the latter acquired be a trade from the Raiders.
Head coach Kliff Kingsbury and quarterback Kyler Murray are growing but the Cardinals need to erase the memory of last season’s late fade. Life for this team should be much different without legendary Larry Fitzgerald.
From a franchise record 11-0 start to four losses in their final five regular-season games to a humbling home playoff loss to rival Cleveland. Mike Tomlin’s club saw its share of departures and retirements this offseason.
The offensive line has four new starters but the NFL’s worst running game in 2020 should be better via the addition of first-round running back Najee Harris. Resourceful Ben Roethlisberger returns, but will this be the final season?
A season ago, only the Packers, Bills and Buccaneers scored more points than Mike Vrabel’s club. But none of the 14 NFL teams that qualified for the playoffs a year ago surrendered more points.
The offense is under the guidance of Ryan Tannehill and 2020 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Derrick Henry. General manager Jon Robinson added pass rushers Denico Autry and Bud Dupree to bolster a pass rush that managed a disappointing 19 sacks last year.
A year ago, the Rams has some ups and downs, especially when it came to mistake-prone Jared Goff. He was part of a big trade this offseason that brought veteran hurlers Matthew Stafford to Los Angeles. Sean McVay finds ways to put points on the board.
Relentless Aaron Donald was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2020 and the club allowed the fewest total yards and points in the league. But Brandon Staley is now the head coach of the Chargers.
A year ago, Bill Belichick’s club missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Rookie quarterback Mac Jones takes over for Cam Newton who was let go after one season in Foxborough.
The organization spent money on free agents such as tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry and wide receivers Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne. The defense was addressed this offseason as well and this unit must tighten up when it comes to stopping the run.
Pete Carroll’s club got off to the 5-0 start a year ago, finished 12-4 and won the NFC West. But Russell Wilson and company were one-and-done in the playoffs, losing at home to the rival Rams.
The team got a little offensive line help this offseason but it was still an odd offseason in the Pacific Northwest. But with their resourceful signal-caller at the controls, it’s hard to count out a team that has made eight playoff appearances during his nine NFL seasons.
A year ago, Brian Flores team won 10 games and still failed to make the playoffs. This season, 2020 first-round draft choice Tua Tagovailoa is the starter behind center entering Week 1.
Brian Flores’ defense did make some strides a year ago and the Dolphins did lead the NFL with 29 takeaways. There figures to still be some growing pains with their young quarterback. But this is a franchise that appears to be headed in the right direction.
For the fourth consecutive year, head coach Frank Reich will open a season with a different starting quarterback. It was Andrew Luck in 2018, Jacoby Brissett a year later, Philip Rivers this past season and Carson Wentz (or Jacob Eason) when the team hosts the Seahawks.
The Colts have a budding star in running back Jonathan Taylor and a solid offensive line albeit a question mark at left tackle. Star linebacker Darius Leonard keys an emerging defense.
John Harbaugh’s team is looking to make a fourth straight appearance in the playoffs. Quarterback Lamar Jackson is the catalyst of an offense that has led the league in rushing two consecutive years. But how will the loss of running back J.K. Dobbins for the season affect this attack?
The defense lots some pass rush this offseason with the departures of Matt Judon, Yannick Ngakoue and Jihad Ward. But the club recently signed veteran Justin Houston.
Was there really that much drama in Green Bay this offseason? The daily updates on quarterback Aaron Rodgers got to be a bit ridiculous. The bottom line is he is back with the club and the team that scored the most points in the NFL this past season looks as potent as ever.
There are some questions on the offensive line as left tackle David Bakhtiari will miss at least the first six weeks of the season. And will the reigning NFL MVP show any early rust?
In 2020, Kevin Stefanski was the NFL Coach of the Year, Cleveland reached the postseason for the first time since 2002 and the franchise won a playoff game for the first time since 1994. A balanced attack keyed by the league’s third-ranked rushing attack and an improving Baker Mayfield paved the way for a big year.
This offseason, the focus was on fixing the defense. Can these intriguing Browns win a division title for the first time since 1989?
A year ago, the franchise won a division title and playoff contest for the first time since 1995 and reached the AFC title game for the first time since ‘93. Josh Allen blossomed in his third NFL season and Stefon Diggs led the league in catches (127) and receiving yards (1,535).
But Buffalo’s defense disappointed a year ago and Sean McDermott must find a way to defeat the Chiefs as the Bills (including playoffs) lost twice to the reigning AFC champions.
Andy Reid’s team has reached the playoffs six straight year – the longest current playoff streak in the league – and has won five consecutive AFC West titles. But the Chiefs were humbled in Super Bowl LV as Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City offense settled for three field goals.
General manager Brett Veach revamped an offensive line that was missing its starting tackles vs. the Buccaneers. But can the defense recapture that 2019 second-half form?
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No team has repeated as Super Bowl champion since quarterback Tom Brady was at the controls of the 2003 and ’04 New England Patriots. Bruce Arians’ club brings back all 22 starters from that 31-9 triumph over the Chiefs in early February.
General manager Jason Licht did an exceptional job this offseason making sure the likes of Lavonte David and Shaq Barrett didn’t go elsewhere. The Bucs bring an eight-game overall winning streak into 2021.